Zhang Mingen landed himself in hot waters today when the internet broke with paparazzi footage of him seemingly getting intimate with his Insect Totem co-star Hu Bingqing. They were caught on camera attending a large gathering with the crew. After everyone had said their farewells, they left together. He was seen walking to the parking lot of a certain hotel with his arm around her when they seemingly kissed and hugged before heading inside.
It immediately drew cheating allegations because Zhang Mingen has been openly dating Xu Lu since last August when the two signed on for the reality show Meeting Mr. Right 2. Even before that, the Destiny’s Love couple were spotted together many times. The two also never confirmed the breakup rumors surrounding them this year. Hu Bingqing was spotted holding hands with her The Best of Times co-star Chen Xingxu last September which briefly ignited dating rumors that fizzled.
As the public digested the news, all parties have issued a response. Hu Bingqing’s staff said, “A crew dinner, there’s no romance, no cheating, no kissing, thanks for your concern!”
Zhang Mingen reveals that he and Xu Lu actually broke up last year. He wrote, “Never thought that I’d trend in this way, very sorry for taking up everyone’s resources. At the end of last year, I was already single. A relationship is a private matter, I don’t want to use too much public resources. Everyone was at the gathering as we wrapped filming, no need to overanalyze. Furthermore, sorry for inconveniencing my good friend. Please don’t maliciously make up stories or hurt others.”
Xu Lu’s staff also gave a response, “We just saw the trending topic this morning and we’re dumbfounded, we won’t get involved in the artists’ relationship.” However, the staff did say that their team saw that Xu Lu likely unfollowed Zhang Mingen in the middle of the night yesterday. They also clarified Xu Lu’s Weibo post about starting over that sparked the breakup rumors in December and said that it was actually about bidding goodbye to her former agent and being grateful. She has started to interact with her new agent since December.
Xu Lu and Zhang Mingen are the second couple from Meeting Mr. Right 2 to breakup after Zheng Shuang and her ex Zhang Heng called it quits. For me, Xu Lu and Zhang Mingen were one of the sweetest pairs on the show. It’s unfortunate that people break up and move on but it happens. However, netizens don’t seem to be buying that he was indeed broken up since last year and the non-response from Xu Lu’s staff doesn’t help. Zhang Mingen’s studio had shared the couple photoshoot that the two shot for the Valentine’s Day issue of a magazine this year. There were also reports that he visited her on set in April and even showed off a lego shoe that she gave him on 520 (China’s internet V-day).
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I like both actors together, but they're young and their relationship(s) are no one's business but their own.